EMAS certification under the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
We carry out EMAS verification in Bulgaria as an accredited environmental verifier through CERTIND S.A. (RENAR No. VM 002, EMAS RO-V-0003). EMAS is a voluntary European Commission scheme for improving environmental performance — it is suitable for any type of organization, covers all sectors of the economy and services, and is applicable worldwide. The verification is conducted in Bulgarian, and you will receive a tailored quote within two hours.
- VerifierCERTIND S.A. · RENAR VM 002
- Schemeof the European Commission
- Quotewithin 2 hours during business hours
The standard at a glance
What is EMAS?
EMAS is the European Union’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme. It was developed by the European Commission to improve the environmental performance of organizations and is voluntary: the organization itself commits to assessing its environmental impact and reducing it, and an external accredited verifier checks that this is really happening.
The scheme is suitable for any type of organization that wants to improve its environmental performance. It covers all sectors of the economy and services and is applicable worldwide. Participation is voluntary — which is precisely why registration carries weight with institutions, contracting authorities and partners.
Organizations moving towards EMAS are advised to have a developed and operating environmental management system to ISO 14001. The scheme’s requirements for the system are based on this standard, and on top of it EMAS adds public disclosure, verification of legal compliance and employee involvement.
EMAS registration guarantees an external, independent assessment of the operating system. Publicly available information on environmental performance is an essential part of the scheme — the organization achieves transparency towards the public through the environmental statement and internally through the active involvement of its employees.
Who EMAS is for
- Manufacturing Companies with a significant impact on air, water, waste and energy.
- Public sector Municipalities, administrations and organizations that lead by example with public accountability.
- Construction and infrastructure Activities with an impact on land, noise, dust and waste.
- Services and trade Organizations whose clients and partners want proven environmental responsibility.
EMAS · public disclosure
What the environmental statement does
The statement is what sets EMAS apart from an ordinary environmental management system: your performance indicators become public and are validated by an independent verifier.
- A description of the organization and its activities
- The environmental policy and the management system
- Significant direct and indirect environmental aspects
- Objectives and performance against them
- Performance data — energy, water, waste, emissions, materials
The data is presented so that it can be compared over the years.
- An accredited environmental verifier — in our case, CERTIND S.A.
- Verification covers the system, the internal audit and the data itself
- Compliance with environmental legislation is also checked
- Validation is a condition for registration
The verifier is accredited by a national accreditation body — here RENAR, No. VM 002.
- Transparency towards the public, institutions and partners
- An argument in public procurement and when working with large clients
- Internal discipline — employees see the results of their work
- Early detection of gaps in legal compliance
Public disclosure is also a commitment: once made, it has to be maintained and kept up to date.
EMAS · the path
From review to registration
EMAS does not end with a certificate but with registration. Here is what the organization goes through to get there.
- Initial review
Everything that affects the environment is identified — aspects, quantities, legal requirements, existing practices.
- Environmental management system
The management system is built; the requirements are based on ISO 14001.
- Internal audit
The organization checks the system and its legal compliance itself and corrects what it finds.
- Environmental statement
The public document with the performance indicators and the results against the objectives is prepared.
- Verification and validation
The accredited verifier reviews the system, checks the data on site and validates the statement.
- Registration
The competent body of the Member State enters the organization in the EMAS register.
Verification is carried out on site and covers both the system and the reliability of the data in the statement — which is why well-prepared records matter more than voluminous documentation.
EMAS · the annual cycle
What happens every year
EMAS runs on an annual cycle: the performance indicators are updated and validated, and the registration is renewed at the end of the cycle.
- 01Updating the data
The indicators for energy, water, waste, emissions and materials are updated.
- 02Internal audit and review
Checking the system and legal compliance; management review.
- 03Validation of the update
The verifier validates the updated information in the statement.
- 04Full verification
Verification of the whole system and the full environmental statement.
- 05Renewal of registration
The competent body renews the entry in the register.
For small organizations the regulation provides for a reduced frequency — the exact schedule for your case is clarified with the quote.
What the price of EMAS certification depends on
The price of the certificate is not fixed, because it is calculated from several factors, including the audit days your organization requires, which are determined under the mandatory document Global ACI-TECH-3-004 (formerly IAF MD 5).
ISO certification pricing- 01Complexity and sectorHow significant the environmental aspects of the activity are — manufacturing, services, construction.
- 02Number of sitesThe sites and locations included in the scope. Each one is verified in full or on a sample basis.
- 03Number of employeesFull-time and part-time staff.
- 04State of the systemWhether you already have an operating ISO 14001 system and documented information in place.
A consultant to implement the system is a separate cost. A certification body cannot provide consultancy to the organizations it certifies — this is an impartiality requirement under ISO/IEC 17021-1.
Describe your activity, number of employees and sites — within two hours during business hours you will receive a quote with scope and price.
Exact quote within 2 hoursQuestions and answers
Frequently asked questions about EMAS
Answers to the questions our clients ask most often before certification.
EMAS or ISO 14001?
They are not alternatives. ISO 14001 is the standard for the environmental management system. EMAS builds on it and adds a public environmental statement, verification of legal compliance, employee involvement and entry in an official register.
Is ISO 14001 required first?
It is not mandatory, but it is recommended. Organizations moving towards EMAS usually already have a developed and operating ISO 14001 system — which makes preparation considerably shorter.
Who issues the registration?
Not the verifier. The accredited environmental verifier validates the environmental statement, and registration is carried out by the competent body of the Member State concerned.
How is CERTIND S.A. accredited for EMAS?
As an environmental verifier, with accreditation certificate No. VM 002 from RENAR and number RO-V-0003 in the list of EMAS verifiers. This is a separate accreditation from the one for management systems. The accreditation documents.
Does our data become public?
Yes — that is the point of the scheme. The environmental statement is publicly available. It contains the impact indicators and the results against the objectives, not commercial or technological information.
Standards that combine with EMAS
The standards that go hand in hand with EMAS in environmental and energy management.
All standards
ISO 14001Environmental managementThe foundation beneath EMAS — accredited certification of the environmental management system.To the standard 
ISO 9001Quality managementThe common framework of processes and records on which the environmental requirements build.To the standard 
ISO 45001Occupational health and safetyThe third standard in the classic integrated system — quality, environment, safety.To the standard
EMAS · Free quote
EMAS verification
Describe your activity, your organization’s locations, the number of employees and whether you already have an ISO 14001 system — within two hours during business hours you will receive a quote with the scope, the verification timeframe and a price that includes all costs.
- VerifierCERTIND S.A. · RENAR VM 002
- Verificationin Bulgarian, at your premises
- Quotewithin 2 hours during business hours